The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical connectors, and, more particularly, to an automatic key programming and connector transfer system and method for electrical connectors which have keying means thereon.
Electrical connectors are frequently provided with keying means to permit particular pairs of connectors to properly mate and to prevent the mating of connectors which are not intended to be mated. Keying means are especially useful when a plurality of otherwise identical connectors is positioned in close proximity to one another, for example, on a printed circuit board. The incorrect matching of complementary connectors to the connectors on the board can cause serious damage to the circuits improperly connected thereby; and the keying means, by ensuring that each complementary connector will mate with only the correct one of the plurality of connectors on the board, minimizes the risk of improper connection. Keying means are particularly important when the connections are made by untrained personnel as the risk of improper connection is especially great in such circumstances.
Keying systems are known in which a key is secured in one of a pair of complementary connectors and is adapted to cooperate with an opposing key secured in the other of the pair of connectors. Each key is secured in an associated connector in a selected orientation with respect to its opposing key so that when the connectors are intended to be mated, extended keying portions on the keys pass by each other during mating to allow the connectors to properly mate. If one of the keys is secured in an incorrect orientation with respect to its opposing key, however, the extended keying portions on the keys abut one another during attempted mating to prevent proper mating of the connectors.
One known type of key includes a portion having a polygonal cross section and is adapted to be secured within a passageway in a connector in a selected orientation. The number of sides of the polygonal shape determines the number of possible orientations of the key.
Sometimes keys of connectors are programmed in the factory by the connector manufacturer and the connectors with programmed keys are shipped to the customer with the keys preprogrammed in a variety of orientations. At other times, the connectors are shipped to the customer with the keys in an unprogrammed condition, and the customer programs the keys of the connectors by inserting and then securing the keys in the connector passageways in the selected orientations prior to mounting the connectors to printed circuit boards or other utilization devices. Whether performed by the manufacturer or the customer, programming the keys of a connector and positioning the connector having programmed keys on a printed circuit board are typically performed by hand, and are time-consuming procedures that are susceptible to human error. The programming of the keys of small connectors is particularly troublesome inasmuch as the keys also tend to be quite small and rather difficult to handle.